By place Byzantine Empire • Spring –
Siege of Serdica:
Krum, ruler (
khan) of the
Bulgarian Empire, captures the fortress of Serdica (modern
Sofia), after a long
siege. According to
Byzantine sources, he massacres the
garrison (supposedly 6,000 men), sacks the city, and razes the
city walls, before returning with much
loot to
Bulgaria. In the following years (and centuries), Serdica will serve as a base for the expansion of the
Bulgars to the south of the
Balkans.
Europe • A
Byzantine fleet lands in the
Venetian Lagoon, and attacks a
Frankish flotilla at
Comacchio, but is defeated. Doge
Obelerio degli Antenori marries a Frankish bride,
Carola; she becomes the first
dogaressa of
Venice. •
Aznar Galíndez I succeeds
Aureolus, as count of
Aragon (modern
Spain). He is installed by King
Louis the Pious (a son of emperor
Charlemagne), and remains a Frankish
vassal. • A rebellion in
Gharb al-Andalus (modern
Portugal) is crushed by the
Emirate of Córdoba.
Abbasid Caliphate of the
Abbasid dynasty •
March 24 – Caliph
Harun al-Rashid dies at
Tus, on an expedition to put down an uprising in
Khorasan (modern
Iran). He is succeeded by his son
Muhammad ibn Harun al-Amin.
Asia • Emperor
Heizei becomes ill, and abdicates the
throne in favor of his brother
Saga, who is installed as the 52nd
emperor of Japan. • Emperor
Govinda III defeats his rival
Nagabhata II, and obtains the submission of the
Pala Empire (
India).
By topic Religion •
Council of Aachen (809): Frankish
bishops adopt the
filioque addition in the
Creed.
Pope Leo III intervenes, and refuses to recognize it as
valid. == Births ==